Hand-hook.



H A. WATERMA'N HAND HOOK. APPLICATION r1021) 030.29.1909.

' Patented May 4, 1909.

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UhlltTE HERBERT A. WA TERll'lAN,

OF LIBERAL, MISSOURI.

HAND -HO OK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ii/tay 4, 1909.

Application filed. Becember 29, 1908. Serial No. 169,358.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT WATm MAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Liberal, in the county of Barton and State of Missouri, haveinvented new and useful lnnn'ovemcnts in Hand-Hooks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is an improved hand. hook adapted for use in handlingbales of hay and other commodities, the object of the invention being toprovide an improved hook of this kind with a pivoted bill and with meansfor releasing the bill in order to enable the hook to be readilydisengaged from the bale.

The invention consists in the construction, com ination and arrangementdevices hereinafter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings: l igure 1 is a perspective view of a handhook constructed in accordance with this invention showing the bill ofthe hook locked in posilion for use for engaging a bale. Fig. 2 isdetail elevation partly in section. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view onthe plane indicated by the line (L a of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of my invent-ion here shown, the stirrup shaped handle1 is provided with a bar 2 WiliCll extends from the center of the archedside 3 thereof. The said arched-side of the handle is provided with aguide lug 4 that is disposed at one side of the base of the bar 2 and isslightly spaced therefrom, the said lug having a shoulder 5 which formsa stop. The arched side of the handle is further provided at one sidewith a pair of lugs 6 between which is pivotally mounted as at 7, athumb latch 8. A bolt 9 pivotally connected at its outer end to the saidthumb latch as at 10 and is guided in an opening in the guide lug 4. Aspring 11 is provided which acts on the thumb latch 8 to keep the boltnormally in looking position as shown in the drawin At the outer end ofthe bar 2 is a pair of spaced lugs 12 between which is pivoted, as at13, a bill 1 1 the outer portion of which is curved and brought to apoint to facilitate its application to a bale. A red 15 has at its innerend an angle arm 16 which is n'ovided with an opening 17 through whichthe bar 2 extends so that the said rod 15 is connected to the said bar 2for longitudinally sliding movement. The outer end of the rod isprovided with a pair of lugs 18 which are on opposite sides of the bill14 and are pivotally connected to said bill as at 19, the said pivotbeing at a suitable distance from the pivot 13. A spring 20 which ishere shown has a coil spring connecting the bar 2 and the rod 15 servesto normally maintain said rod 15 in the position required to put thebill 14 in operative position for engagement with a bale, the bolt 9 byengagement with the arm 16 of said rod 15 serving to normally look saidrod 15 in such position.

In use, my improved hand hook is wielded in the ordinary way to causethe bill 14 to enter a bale and for the purpose of moving a bale andwhen it is desired to disengage the hook from the halo the user by meansof the thumb latch 8 moves the bolt 9 out of engagement with the arm 16which lorins a stop element of the rod 15 and he then pulls l'or ward onthe handle, thereby causing the rod 15 and the bill ol the hook to yieldagainst the tension of the spring 20 and hence the bill ol the hookbecomes extricated from the bale and the user is not required to pushthe hook rearwardly in order to thus extricate it from the bale. Hencemy improved hand hook may be released from the bale Very much morequickly and with greatly less efiort than the common form of hand hookin which the bill of the hook is immovable with relation to the handle.

It will be understood that as soon as the hook has been thus disengagedfrom the bale, the spring 20 restores the rod 15 and the bill to theirinitial position and the spring actuated bolt 9 rengages the stop arm 16of said rod 15 and hence locks the bill automatically in initialposition.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction andarrangement of devices herein shown and described as it is evident thatmodifications may be made therein Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

VJhat is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, thecombination of a handle having a bar extending therefrom, a bill or hookelement pivotally connected to said bar, a rod pivotally connected tosaid bill or hook element and slidably connected to said bar, means tolock said hook element in one position and means to actuate said lockingmeans.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a handlehaving a bar extending therefrom, a bill or hook element pivotallyconnected to said bar, a rod pivotally connected to said bill or hookelement and slidably connected to said rod, a spring pressed bolt tonormally look said rod and a hook element in one position and means to lelement and having a stop arm slidably condisengage said bolt. nected tosaid bar and a spring to normally 3. A device of the class describedcommaintain said rod and bill or hook elei'nent prising in combinationWith a handle having in such position as to cause the bolt by coa rodextending therefrom, a guide element action with said stop element tolock said spaced from said rod at the base thereof and rod and hencealso said bill or hook element. a stop shoulder, a thumb latchpi'votally In testimony whereof I aliix my signature connected to, saidhandle, a bolt guided in 1 in presence. oi two Witnesses. said guide lugand pivotally connected to 5 HERBERT A. WATERMAN.

rod pivotally' connected to said bill or hook said thuinb latch, aspring to normally keep Witnesses: said bolt in locked position, a billor hook L. P. SPRINGER, element pivotally connected to said bar, a WV.A. MARTIN.

